Photo: Julia Barstow
June Update
Off-site rehearsals for the Quarry Project are complete. Now we look to August to put all components together in the quarry. Until now, we have been working on specific scenes and imagining what they would look like in proximity. Come August, Amy and I will, for the first time, be designing the flow of the pieces and putting the entire puzzle together in preparation for 2020 performances. We are excited to see these dances come to life in their quarry home.
Meanwhile, there are several meetings at the Wells Lamson this month:
The technical team has met at the quarry to discuss rigging, siting of performer and audience stages, and general infrastructure that supports the dance.
Researchers and narrators John Thomas, Ilene Gillander held our third meeting at the edge of the quarry, the source and inspiration for their text that will accompany the performance. We walked around the village, then retired to Ilene’s house for lunch and further discussion.
Next week, I meet with Lukas Huffman and his cinematographer to finalize the filming plan.
I will be arranging a tour of the quarry to 17 ensemble members who have not been to the site. It is important they experience the power of the site before stepping onto the stages to dance on the water.
Let me introduce two ensemble members who are in the TABLE scene. Their photographs were taken by Emily Boedecker.
Celia DeVoe has been dancing for most of her life having trained in NYC where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in dance from Marymount Manhattan College. At Naropa University, she earned a Master’s degree in Dance/Movement Therapy & Somatic Counseling Psychology. Her day-job is as a Mental Health Clinician for young people and their families at Edmunds Elementary School in Burlington. In addition to being in the Quarry Project ensemble, Celia is administering the ensemble’s schedule and time sheets. I am grateful for her focus, her deep skills and her commitment to this project.
Andreas John lives in Calais with his 11 year old son Cedar. He is a builder by trade and has taken on the role of planning and executing the construction of all the performance stages. He has studied Authentic Movement with Jan Sandman and is a multi-disciplinary artist creating site-based work, interacting with found natural objects, photography, videography and music composition. This is his first experience with choreography and I am delighted with his energy, his input and how quickly he is picking up the material.
Your financial support of The Quarry Project is as important as all other aspects. Without your help, we cannot create and produce this public piece. Please contribute here. Your dollars will help pay the summer stipend of the dancers, each approximately $840, totaling $21,000 for the full ensemble August expense.
And here is a short clip from last summer.
Appreciatively,
